


Rainbow Road

by Oliver__Niko



Series: Fluff Bingo [6]
Category: NieR: Automata (Video Game)
Genre: Crushes, F/M, Fluff, Gaming, Mario Kart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-04
Updated: 2020-04-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:47:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23477977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oliver__Niko/pseuds/Oliver__Niko
Summary: 9S is given something called a 'Nintendo Switch.' He manages to convince 2B to play a game with him to unwind after a mission.
Relationships: 2B & 9S (NieR: Automata), 2B/9S (NieR: Automata)
Series: Fluff Bingo [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1658830
Comments: 7
Kudos: 49





	Rainbow Road

**Author's Note:**

> This was such a lovely prompt to use for these two! I've wanted to write for them ever since I played this game for the first time, but never got around to it. Thank you, Happy, for requesting them and giving me the chance!
> 
> Prompt: Mario Kart
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

The more time 9S spends on Earth, the more the past existence of humans there fascinates him.

Androids are built in a form resembling those mammals. There are many differences as well, however, away from the obvious increase of strength that androids possess. Humans, away from doing what is necessary to survive, saw more to life than what they were created for.

It might be possible that they had _no_ reason to be around. Androids were made for this war against the machines. Simple, as 2B often reminds 9S as such. But humans … they evolved from past animals, developed their civilisation, finding pleasure in a vast array of things. It’s a world that 9S cannot fully understand. However, as someone who can acknowledge his emotions and seemingly childish wish of having fun, he can at least appreciate it.

Humans are weak. None reside on Earth any longer, and had no special abilities to protect themselves. But they still saw themselves as _special._ Forming bonds together, inventing objects to increase the enjoyment of day-to-day life.

9S somewhat envies that. Sometimes, he would love to do the same. Kick back, not think about any responsibilities. The little quests he and 2B do on the side almost seem this way, and he has a blast sometimes, but they still only complete them for rewards. There’s still a purpose.

He would like to see what it means to not do something _for_ a purpose, and that is why he is now stood in the doorway of the room he and 2B share at the resistance camp.

“A Nintendo Switch?” 2B repeats, glancing up from modifications she holds in either hand. 9S nods and holds up the small console.

“It’s a type of ‘video game console.’ I was just given this one to check out—they managed to recharge the battery!”

“I don’t know what a video game console is.”

“I’ve been learning about it.” 9S walks over, sitting down on the bed besides 2B. “It’s technology that lets humans play all kinds of games. This here is a screen, and I guess the power switch is … There!” He presses a circular button on top of the Switch, smiling when it turns on.

“And what kind of games did they waste their time with?”

“It’s not _wasting time,_ 2B. They used this to relax, I guess.”

“So wasting time, as I said.”

He nudges her leg with his. “Anyway, to answer your question, there’s lots of games out there. It’d be hard to list them all, they were really imaginative … For the Switch though, you need cartridges, and we only have the one that’s in the Switch right now. That’s _Mario Kart_.”

“ _Mario Kart?_ ”

“Yep! It’s a racing game, you drive karts and bikes and stuff, from what I’ve been told.” 9S goes silent, hovering over the icon on the Switch. “2B—”

“We are _not_ playing it,” she says.

“But—”

“We don’t have time for fooling around. We have a mission to do.”

“We just got back from one, and we need to take a break.”

“Yes. I was planning to do so by figuring out which mods to add to myself.”

“You’ve already done that, now you’re just overthinking it!” 9S turns to face her properly, holding the Switch up close to his mouth. “Please, 2B? Let’s just give it a try. It doesn’t take long to play a race or two, I promise.”

2B is silent. 9S can feel her eyes inspect him from underneath the blindfold. The Switch edges up that little higher, 9S hoping his face has the best pleading expression he can muster. It’s not really just about having fun. He’d like to spend time with her, too.

She might even smile, if he’s lucky.

“We might even be able to learn more about how humans think if we play,” he adds. 2B sighs, placing the objects in her hands to one side.

“Fine. But only for a short period of time, to stop your pestering.”

“Awesome!” 9S grins, shuffling around. “You can set it up so it stands, and these red and blue … Joycons, I think they were called? Yeah, Joycons! You take them off like this,” he pops them off the Switch, “and we can have one each to use as a controller.”

“That’s convenient,” says 2B, taking the second-player blue Joycon handed to her.

“Right? Really intelligent stuff, I wonder what kind of human invented it …”

He scoots up on the bed, sitting cross-legged next to 2B. The space is cramped and causes their legs to brush up against each other’s. 9S coughs, rising his head a little.

“ _Mario Kart 8!”_

“That’s a cheerful voice,” says 9S, loading up the menu. “Same with the music. Oh! I should teach you the controls, here … They gave me quick instructions, and I think I’ve remembered.”

Once 9S has gone through the controls with 2B, meaning he also had to explain that there are weapons to use in the game (to which 2B straightened up a little), the pair are on a character selection screen. They spend a while simply scrolling through these interesting designs.

“I think this one,” says 9S, picking a character named Bowser Junior. “He sounds mischievous. How about you, 2B?”

“I suppose this one … ‘Rosalina.’ Her bangs are a little like mine.”

9S grins sheepishly. “You’re prettier.”

“I would hope so. I’m real, and more accurately based off a real creature. It appears the stylistic choice behind these characters is nowhere near as close to reality.”

“… I was just trying to compliment you, 2B.”

“I see. In that case, your character is rather cute, but I find you to be much cuter.”

9S’ mouth opens, Joycon held in one hand as he uses his other to rub the back of his neck. “Awh geez, 2B, you’re going to make me blush … Okay, we have the settings done, so now it’s time for a course. They didn’t exactly guide me on this one.”

There are many of them too, under strange names like ‘Mushroom Cup’ and ‘Banana Cup.’ He reckons they’re named after the brief overview of items and weapons he had been told about. There are four tracks to every cup.

They’re certainly visually appealing, too, the technology impressive for so long ago. They flick through each name and picture to simply observe. The same one grabs their eye more than the rest.

“ _Rainbow Road_ …” says 9S.

“Judging by the picture, it’s supposed to be a rainbow-coloured road in a night sky,” says 2B. “Strange concept. Shall we try it?”

“Yes!”

9S is soon to be much less enthusiastic. It turns out that the ‘Special Cup’ is named as such for a reason, seemingly home to more difficult tracks. The roads are thin. Barricades are scarce. And as beautiful as it is, 9S can barely appreciate it as he groans at his miserable attempt at drifting around corners.

“This is harder than I thought,” he says, letting go of a red shell precisely before he falls off again. “Ugh! Why does this keep on happening?”

“It does definitely require some skill,” says 2B. 9S glances at her section of the screen and his mouth drops open.

“How are you already on the second lap?!”

“I’m not playing all that well. Perhaps you are simply this terrible.”

There’s a smirk on her face as she says it. And she also blocks the red shell with a banana held behind her. Already a natural, it appears.

9S huffs, bringing the Joycon up closer to himself, although there’s a smile on his own face. He’s not going to lose—no matter how much he keeps falling, and how those speed boosts on these curvy paths are nothing more than an invite to throw him off.

“I think I’m doing better,” he says once he gets on the third lap. 2B is almost finished with it already. “But I will accept a loss on this one.”

“It does seem rather difficult,” says 2B, now ending the race by zooming over the finish line. “How about we try an easier one to learn, first?”

They decide that the cups at the beginning of the selection will likely be easier. 9S chooses _Sweet Sweet Canyon_ , 2B saying she doesn’t particularly care, despite how 9S notices how upright she is now sitting.

“Oh, it looks delicious!” says 9S once the track has loaded. “Look at the roads, aren’t they pretty?”

“I suppose. I must say that the creativity behind these locations is quite impressive. It’s not a skill that I have.”

“Right? Humans are amazing …”

Their assumptions turn out to be correct; these courses are most definitely easier than _Rainbow Road_. 9S is far from perfect, however as he happily drives past all the sweet wonders around them and dives into the water, he is doing so far smoother than previously. 2B seems a little less amazing now that 9S isn’t falling off everywhere.

… Although she is still far better, and wins this one as well.

“Next time,” 9S grumbles, peering at 2B out of the corner of his eye to see if she will protest to another race.

“You were right, they _are_ rather short,” she says. 9S’ face lights up, and he smiles and nods.

They find dark, twisting corridors in _Twisted Mansion_ , endless snow in _Mount Wario_ , trees and ruins in _DK Jungle_ … Each one holds different challenges, the two navigating their way around the controls and mastering them quickly—it’s simply in their nature to.

And the better either become, the more competitive they are, increasing the addictiveness of the game. 2B begins to edge nearer to 9S to try and distract him.

“Hey!”

“You won at _Electrodome_ ,” says 2B. She brings herself even closer, and 9S swallows, trying to keep his eyes on the screen and not the chest pressing against his arm. “I can’t allow you to win again.”

“Well, I’m not letting you win _either._ And I never would have expected you to be the type of person to cheat!”

“Pod, is simply edging closer to 9S considered cheating?”

“Negative. It would be considered as such if you were to physically restrain him or hinder his movements.”

“Pod!” 9S exclaims. “Is it lying?”

“Negative. It is the fault of your own if you allow yourself to be distracted.”

“Hey, you’re supposed to be on my side!”

The most beautiful sound blesses 9S’ ears. 2B laughing. _Laughing._ A smile on her face, and her voice brighter than 9S has ever heard it as she says, “I never imagined you to be a sore loser, 9S.”

“No sore loser here,” he says—truthfully, for he hardly has any care at all for how his staring at 2B has given her time to race past the finish line, 9S driving straight into a wall. Her expression grows triumphant, although she appears uncertain when her attention is brought to 9S.

“W-What? Why are you staring?”

“I just … I really like seeing you smile.”

There’s a moment of silence before that smile returns, 2B tucking strands of hair behind her ear as she faces the screen once again.

“In that case, let’s play more.”

“Are you sure? We’ve been playing for a while already.”

“As you said, we should rest to be out our full capacity. I can understand the meaning behind relaxing with video games, now. I imagine they felt as carefree as we do.” 2B’s Joycon gestures towards the screen. “If we lack troubles on our minds, we’re at our best ability. So we may as well play a few more.”

9S grins and nods, gripping his Joycon that little tighter. “I won’t lose!”

Although he is certain that it doesn’t matter if he wins or not. The feel of 2B’s knee pressed against his, those smiles, her voice light and elbow jokingly nudging into his side—it’s all something he can never usually witness, and he doubts this memory will ever be wiped away.

**Author's Note:**

> If you'd like to request a fluff or bad things happen fic, please do feel free to visit my Twitter, Oliver__Niko.


End file.
